#book formatting

[novlr]

Save formatting for last

Try to avoid formatting while you’re drafting — it’s a distraction.

Your first draft will never look the same as your final one, so formatting takes you away from the important business of writing. For many writers, it’s the reason they struggle to get words on the page.

[luv-stargazer]

so i’ve been formatting crimson rivers as a book, and it’s been a while since i last updated on it, but i’ve finished:

volume one: the games - chapter 1-25

volume two: loss and love - chapter 26-39 + a great big tragedy

volume 3 will be chapter 40 through when they get out of the arena and then volume 4 will be whatever is left !!! i’ll be starting vol3 next week when the holidays start

i’ll release all of the volumes when zar completes cr as that’s just easiest for me, and i’ll be making covers as well !!!

[the960writers]

Disclaimer: Kindlepreneur produces and sells the formatting software Atticus.

By Dave Chesson, Last updated on July 27th, 2023

Knowing how to format a book for publication is crucial to your success as an author.

[...]

Some people hire professional designers to do it for them. While this can save time, it’s also expensive. If you have the time, you can do it yourself and save money.

With the help of this article, you can cut costs and design your book on your own. You’ll learn a new skill and still end up with a professional-looking book.

In this article, you will learn:

Which program or software to use

How to set up your file

How to design your pages like a pro

Common mistakes to avoid

[thecrimsonfeather]

Proces book

today we started working on how to plan out our prices book for the end of the year, it was mostly a refresher on how to use in design but it was fun to formant images from my latest obsession like I was actually making a magazine for it.

[mxelliott]

hAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO PUBLISH A BOOK BUT DONT UNDERSTAND HOW THE FORMATTING WORKS? ARE YOU TRYING TO REACH A PAGE COUNT THAT LOOKS THICC ENOUGH TO YOUR PUBLISHER BUT JUST CANT GET THERE? YEAH? WELL DO I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU!

i’m fucking insane and feel like an absolute freak trying to compile the correct answers on this, but from one writer to another, why the hell shouldn’t i go insane over the formatting of books? i’ve already gone through (and still am going through) the brainrot of bookbinding so why not take this a step further

from my thirty minutes of shitty research here’s what i got:

Page Trims

Fiction: 4.25” x 6.87”, 5” x 8”, 5.25” x 8”, 5.5” x 8.5”, 6” x 9”

Novella: 5” x 8”

Children's: 7.5” x 7.5”, 7” x 10”, 10” x 8”

Textbooks: 6” x 9”, 7” x 10”, 8.5” x 11”

Non-fiction: 5.5” x 8.5”, 6” x 9”, 7” x 10"

Memoir: 5.25” x 8”, 5.5” x 8.5”

Photography: do whatever you like best

Average Fiction Format

(i am blatantly assuming this really is what you’re here for)

trim size: 5.5” x 8.5” to 6” x 9”

spacing: single or 1.15

font size: 9 to 11 pt

font type: Baskerville, Garamond, Times New Roman

Tips

the more words you write the bigger your book’s trim size can be. ie: more physical area = less pages needed

if you have a shorter book a smaller trim size can help it look more substantial

most authors choose a trim size that’s comparable to the mainstream trade paperback releases in their genre to get people interested in their work. ex: “this book reminds me of XYZ book! i’ll give it a try!”

try to look at some real-life examples for get a better sense of the trim size best for your book. if you’re really struggling to pick a book size (especially if the book relies on illustrated content or products that need the right paper or format), try finding a book production manager for advice!

these are all recommendations tho so have feel free to go ham doing whatever the hell you want my guy <3

[gailynovelry]

It's that time of year again. That time of year where I format another book, and chatter about Scribus while I'm at it.

My current complaint; I still do not know how to stop the program from spawning out-of-bounds text frames far, far in the abyssal region of the scrollbar every time I generate a new page in the middle of the document.

It gets annoying to scroll down and delete the frames. > : (

[ashen-crest]

[ID: a dark gray banner. The image on the left is of the “This is Fine” dog, staring off into space with flames in the background. The text on the right reads “Self-Publishing Thoughts (from a newbie).” end ID]

Self-Publishing Thoughts #3: Front Matter & Back Matter

This is something that gave me a weird amount of anxiety when I reached the formatting stage of my book, so I figured I’d talk about it!

Formatting itself will be a separate post. This will talk specifically about what goes in your front matter (everything before the first chapter) and your back matter (everything after the last chapter).

📚 Front Matter

Title Page on the right-hand side of the book. Can be as simple as “Title” and “Author Name.” Trad pub books tend to add the imprint name as well. I opted for keeping mine simple.

Copyright Page on the left-hand side of the book, following the title page. Check out this site on what exactly goes into a copyright page. If you use a formatting tool like Vellum, they can help generate that page for you! Note: if you’re not familiar with ISBNs or LCCNs, you may go down a bit of a rabbit hole, like I did. Don’t stress- I’ll talk about both of those in later posts.

Honestly? That’s kind of all that’s required for front matter. Here are a few more optional add-ins:

Dedication Page (”for my cat, Leia”)

Epigraph (fancy quote at the beginning of the book)

Review Quotes (if you’re very fancy)

Table of Contents (recommended for e-books; formatting tools will often generate this for you, thank goodness)

When in doubt: check out some books on your shelf and see how they set up their front matter.

📚 Back Matter

Technically, you don’t need to have any back matter. The book is done! They read the book! Woo!

However, for a professional look and some easy marketing opportunities, I recommend adding the following:

A “Want More?” Lure: if you want the reader to take action, this is where you ask them to do it! Right after that last chapter, you can ask them to:

sign up for your newsletter

check out your website

pre-order the next book

or leave a review!

An “Also By” Page: if you have a catalog of books, this is where you can nudge the reader to check out your other books.

Acknowledgments Page: an opportunity to thank your beta readers, sensitivity readers, editor(s), designers, family, friends, your cat, coffee, etc.

About the Author: this can include a photo, but doesn’t have to. (mine currently does not.) Can also be very simple text! “Mx. Mystery lives in the country with ten crocodiles and approximately five llamas. When they’re not writing, they’re crocheting, baking, and time-traveling.” If you have previous writing experience or awards, this is a good place to mention it.

[Very Optional] Extra Story or Sneak Peek of Next Book: if you’re feeling fancy and have this material ready, you can also provide chapter 1 of the next book, or a short side story set in the world of the book.

Again, when in doubt: check out some of your favorite authors and see how they set up their back matter.

📚 Got any further questions or things to add about front matter & back matter? Reply or rb with your thoughts! 📚

(Self Pub taglist below the cut, ask to be +/-):

@calicojackofficial, @zoya-writes, @joshuaorrizonte, @i-can-even-burn-salad, @antique-symbolism, @kjscottwrites, @nikkywrites

[loveslikeanangel]

[nanoficto92]

Interesting things about book formatting that no one talks about.

Gutters

The space where pages meet. If the gutters aren’t setup properly words can literally feel like they’re being swallowed by the book.

Combine that with the margins, the space at the side of pages, and it really makes you understand how some books end up being as thick as they are.

I have a copy of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”, the basic trade paperback. A small book. The margins are so small, but given the size of the book and how much there is, if the margins were any bigger and the gutter wasn’t the size it was it would probably be a brick of a book.

Font size also plays into this. Even with the smallest font size books typically use, and they can use sizes anywhere from 10 to 12, it factors into the thickness of the book. Let’s go back to my previous example. The font is pretty small, and I’m sure it’s near the smallest line spacing as well, if it were any bigger that would also make the book thicker than it already is.

It’s something people don’t usually think about, but once you start learning about it you start to notice how much it affects.

[bookformatting]

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Paperback Format book.

Adobe InDesign (.indd) source file.

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Upload ready PDF.

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Free Book Cover +3D Mockup.

Looking forward to working with you!!

If you have any questions, please inbox me without feeling any hesitation. I will give you the best offer according to the project. Thank you.

[luv-stargazer]

got 6 chapters of crimson rivers formatted today and i'll probably do some more tn !! forgot how much i love doing this

[thecrimsonfeather]

Layout experimentation for my process book

[prosegalaxy]

The haunting whisper of an ancient past, A spirit born from shadows cast. In shadows of the moonlit night, A talent hidden from mortal sight. In distant lands and distant time, The echoes of a long-forgotten rhyme. A gift unveiled in eerie grace, Of weaving words, of haunting space. The whispers grow, they fill the air, As secrets of the past become clear. An ability revealed, so rare, In tapestry of history, they weave a tale so grand and rare.

[jbookcoverdesign]

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[arimeghlen]

Ep 181 | The Merry Writer Podcast

We are going into the book today on this week’s podcast episode, as we are discussing book formatting and I personally share a few pet peeves about formatting. Rachel and I ask and answer the question: “How Important Is Book Formatting?” Continue reading Untitled

[artistnik]

You Asked About Self-Publishing

Peace, this is a long post to answer some questions I’m asked often. Also, info I wish found all in one place. First. Whatever genre you’re writing in, at least peruse books in that genre. Know who the bestsellers are and why.  This is also the first step in finding an agent if you want to be traditionally published. Two. To build an audience research call for submissions on projects in your…